Mars Surveyor 98 Photos

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In the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation
Facility-2 (SAEF-2), a technician works on the Mars Climate Orbiter which is
scheduled to launch on Dec. 10, 1998, aboard a Boeing Delta II rocket. The
Mars Climate Orbiter is heading for Mars where it will primarily support its
companion Mars Polar Lander spacecraft, planned for launch on Jan. 3, 1999.
After that, the Mars Climate Orbiter's instruments will monitor the Martian
atmosphere and image the planet's surface on a daily basis for one Martian
year (two Earth years). It will observe the appearance and movement of
atmospheric dust and water vapor, as well as characterize seasonal changes
on the surface. The detailed images of the surface features will provide
important clues to the planet's early climate history and give scientists
more information about possible liquid water reserves beneath the surface.

In the Spacecraft Assembly and Encapsulation
Facility-2 (SAEF-2), the Mars Polar Lander spacecraft is on display for the
media, showing an almost fully installed set of components for its launch
planned for Jan. 3, 1999. The solar-powered spacecraft is designed to touch
down on the Martian surface near the northern-most boundary of the south
pole in order to study the water cycle there. The lander also will help
scientists learn more about climate change and current resources on Mars,
studying such things as frost, dust, water vapor and condensates in the
Martian atmosphere.